Fire at Mulshi sodium chloride packaging plant injures three workers; electrical short-circuit suspected, fire controlled, and investigation underway.
A fire erupted at a sodium chloride packaging facility in Ambadvet, Mulshi taluka of Pune district on Sunday afternoon, leaving three workers injured. The incident occurred during routine packaging operations at Swaraj Enterprises, a local company engaged in handling sodium chloride, around 12:15 pm, according to officials.
The exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined. However, authorities suspect that an electrical short circuit may have triggered the blaze due to unstable power supply at the facility at the time of the incident. Senior Police Inspector Santosh Girigosavi of the Paud Police Station, Pune rural, confirmed that the fire broke out while three employees were actively working inside the plant.
Two of the injured employees, Sandip Shendkar and Mohit Choudhary, sustained severe burns covering approximately 60 percent of their bodies, while the third worker, Renuka Gaikwad, suffered comparatively minor burns affecting around ten percent of her body. All three were immediately rushed to a private hospital located at Ghotawade Phata for urgent medical treatment.
Vijay Mahajan, Fire Officer at the Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA), described the situation, stating, “The exact reason behind the fire is not yet known. Preliminary reports suggest that an unstable electricity supply may have resulted in a short circuit, which could have sparked the incident.” Mahajan added that the company stored a significant quantity of chemical materials, including roughly 150 drums filled with various substances. The intense fire caused all the drums to explode, creating additional hazards for the firefighting teams and delaying containment efforts.
Emergency response teams, including the local fire brigade and police, acted swiftly upon receiving the distress call. The fire was eventually brought under control, thanks to coordinated efforts between the authorities and the facility’s management. Officials emphasized that, while the blaze caused significant damage to the premises, no casualties beyond the three injured workers were reported.
Authorities have since initiated a thorough investigation into the fire incident. Police officials are examining the facility’s electrical systems, safety protocols, and storage practices to ascertain whether negligence or other factors contributed to the outbreak. Meanwhile, the management of Swaraj Enterprises has expressed concern for the well-being of the injured employees and stated that they are cooperating fully with the ongoing probe.
The fire has raised questions about safety measures in industrial facilities handling chemical substances in the region, prompting officials to consider stricter compliance monitoring. Investigators are expected to release more detailed findings once the assessment of the site is complete.
